History and popular culture are full of stories about secret children. Recent revelations from Arnold Schwartzenegger and John Edwards are among the latest examples. But rarely is the story told from the child’s point of view. A new novel by Tayari Jones focuses on two girls who share the same father. One is pretty but struggles with the stigma of knowing she is a secret. The other is plain but has a happy childhood, until she discovers her father’s deception. We consider the concept of a child’s legitimacy and the psychological effects of secrets